Lifeboat cover



L D. ADAMS, JR

LIFEBOAT COVER Jan. 21, 1969 INVENTOR. LELAND D. ADAMS,JR.

Sheet ATTORNEYS Filed July 26, 1967 Jan. 21, 1969 1.. D. ADAMS, JR

LIFEBOAT COVER Filed July 26,

R O T N E V m LELAND D. ADAMS, JR. BY.

ATTORNEYS 1969 L. D. ADAMS, JR

LIFEBOAT COVER Filed July 26, 1967 FEGMH FEG...14

R J ms M A w D W A D D N A L E L ATTORNEYS United States Patent 2 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Lifeboat canopy support having arch structures with side stanchion members that are adapted to be seated in sockets attached to the boat gunwales. The stanchion members are detachably connected by spacer and peak members to complete the arch structures.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my copending application Ser. No. 572,100, filed Aug. 12, 1966, now abandoned, for Lifeboat Cover.

This invention relates generally to lifeboat equipment and particularly to protective lifeboat canopies and their supports.

Most standard lifeboats for ocean-going vessels range from about twenty-two to thirty-seven feet in length. United States Coast Guard regulations require each lifeboat to carry anti-exposure cover equipment conisting of suitable supports which can be readily erected after the boat is launched and a canopy that is attached to its supports, The canopies and supports that have been used in the past have had a number of disadvantages. For example, the collapsed or dismantled supports have been relatively bulky and therefore necessitate bulky packaging. The designs have been such as to require use of bracing to attain acceptable strength. This complicates the construction and adds considerably to the work and time required for erection. Also the designs have not been as adaptable as is desired to facilitate installation on a variety of types and sizes of boats.

In general, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lifeboat canopy and support which will overcome the above difficulties.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lifeboat canopy support which can be packaged in a small space and which can be readily erected to form arch structures of adequate strength for supporting the canopy.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a lifeboat canopy and support which has wide adaptability to a variety of types and sizes of boats.

Another object is to provide improved articulated sockets for attaching canopy supporting stanchions to a boat.

Additional objects and features of the invention will appear from the following description in which the preferred embodiment has been set forth in detail in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

Referring to the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view illustrating a lifeboat equipped with canopy supports in accordance with the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of the boat shown in FIG- URE 1, but with the arch supports removed;

FIGURE 3 is an exploded view illustrating the parts forming one arch support;

FIGURE 4 is an end view of the socket attached to the gunwale of the boat, the side of the boat being shown in section;

Patented Jan. 21, 1969 FIGURE 5 is a side view of the socket as shown in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is a view like FIGURE 4 but showing a different position for the stanchion;

FIGURE 7 illustrates one completely assembled arch structure seated within side sockets;

FIGURE 8 is a view of the lifeboat after the arch structures have been erected and the canopy applied;

FIGURE 9 is an enlarged detail in perspective, illustrating the manner in which the canopy is attached to the arch structures;

FIGURE 10 is a detail in section showing reinforcement of the stanchion members;

FIGURES l1 and 12 are details similar to FIGURES 4 and 5 but showing a socket assembly suitable for Fiberglas boats;

FIGURE 13 is a detail in section similar to FIGURE 4 but showing another embodiment; and

FIGURE 14 is a plan view of the socket shown in FIGURE 13.

My invention employs sockets that are permanently attached to the gunwales of the lifeboat. The equipment supplied with each lifeboat includes a package containing parts which can be readily erected to form arch structures for mounting in each pair of sockets. Also the equipment includes a canopy package, the canopy being made whereby it can be readily attached to the arch structures to form the desired protective cover.

FIGURES 1 and 2 illustrates a typical lifeboat 10 having gunwales 11 on which the sockets 12 have been mounted. FIGURE 1 illustrates arch structures 13a, 13b and 13c seated within and extending upwardly from the sockets. The sockets can consist of angles 16 and 17 secured to the gunwale 11 by suitable means such as bolts 19, and clamped together by bolts 21. The holes in angles 16 and 17 to receive bolts 21 are slots as illustrated to accommodate for different gunwale thicknesses. The socket sleeve 22 is fixed to the angle 16, and as illustrated in FIGURE 4, the axis of the sleeve is inclined outwardly at a suitable angle such as about 7 to the vertical. The sleeve 22 is provided with diametrically opposite openings for receiving a lock pin 23 of the detent type.

An assembled arch structure is shown in FIGURE 7, and the parts of this structure are shown in exploded form in FIGURE 3. Preferably all of the parts of the structure are tubular in form. The sides of the structure are formed by the tubular stanchion members 26, the lower ends of which are adapted to be seated within the sockets and locked thereto by detent pins 23. The upper portions of the stanchion members are provided with the bent portions 26a, whereby the upper extremities 26b extend substantially at right angles to the upstanding portions.

The medial portion of each arch structure consists of a peak member 27 which is bent as illustrated. In a typical instance the bend is such that the included angle is of the order of 166".

Intermediate each stanchion member and the peak member 27, there is a spacer member 28. These members are straight tubes which are adapted to be attached to the stanchions and the peak member 27.

The upper extremities 26b of the stanchions are adapted to be socketed within the corresponding ends of the spacer members 28, and to be locked thereto by detent pins 29 (FIG. 7), which pass through the aligned holse 31 and 32. The end portions of the peak member 27 are provided with a series of spaced holes 33. The corresponding end portion of the spacer member 38 is provided with two holes 37, one of which is adapted to be aligned with one 3 of the holes 33, after which a detent pin 36 is applied (FIG. 7).

Assuming that all of the parts illustrated individually in FIGURE 3 are attached together in the manner described above, the completed arch structure is as shown in FIGURE 7. It will be noted that the lower ends of the stanchion members 26 are provided with diametrically opposed slots 37. These slots permit some latitude in the positioning of the stanchions with respect to the sockets, depending upon whether the sockets are in the bow, the stern, or an intermediate part of the boat. At the bow and usually at the stern of the boat, the gunwales of the boat are convergent and therefore the socket mountings are not parallel. However, the slots 37 permit the stanchions 26 for such sockets to take a position coincident with the plane of the arch structure, without applying stresses such as might cause the arch structure to be that. In FIGURE 4 the detent pin 23 is shown extending through the central portions of the slots 37. This is representative of a central position of the socket, where the mounting of the socket is nearly horizontal. FIGURE 6 represents the detent pin 23 near the ends of the slots, which is representative of a position at the bow of the boat. In general, it has been found that if the slots 37 are of such length that a latitude of adjustment over about 60 is permitted, this will suffice for most boat designs.

As illustrated in FIGURE 10, it is desirable for the lower extremities of the stanchions 26 to be reinforced in the region of the slots 37. Thus it is desirable to provide the lower extremities of the stanchions with an inner reinforcing sleeve 39 which is 'welded, swaged, or press-fit in place.

It may be explained that when a particular lifeboat is being outfitted with my canopy support, the sockets 12 are first applied to the gunwales at appropriate positions, and thereafter the arch structures are assembled and applied to the sockets. Assuming the use of three arch structures as in FIGURE 1, the middle structure is considerably wider than the bow or stern structure. I preferably provide for such differences in width by varying the dimensioning of the spacer members 28 and selecting a proper position for connecting the spacer members with the peak members 27. After proper dimensions have been obtained in a trial assembly, marker tapes 41 are applied to each peak member 27, thereby locating the position for the end of the spacer member 28 in subsequent assembly operations.

The arch structures are also provided with suitable means for attaching a canopy. Thus the stanchion members 26 are provided with slotted tabs 42, and the peak members 27 are provided with similar slotted tabs 43. These tabs are adapted to be attached to webbing straps, which in turn are attached to the canopy. Similar slotted tabs 44 can be provided nearthe lower ends of the stanchions for attaching side curtains.

FIGURE 8 illustrates the lifeboat with a canopy 46 applied to the arch structures. This canopy can be made of any suitable material, such as vinyl-impregnated nylon. On its inner side it is provided with webbing, the ends of which form straps for making attachment to the tabs 42 and 43. The side curtains 46a may be rolled up and tied, or dropped down and lashed. Suitable end pieces can likewise be provided to cover the bow and stern portions of the boat, and these may be provided with windows, flaps or other openings.

FIGURE 9 illustrates how the Webbing '48, which is attached to the canopy cloth, is secured to the slotted tabs 42.

The canopy is likewise furnished in packaged form, with the portions making up the package being folded in such a manner as to facilitate its application to the arch structures.

The manner in which my equipment is used will be evident from the foregoing. The equipment for each lifeboat consists of a suitable number of sockets which are permanently applied to the gun'wales of the boat in the manner described. Also the equipment includes a compact package which contains the dismantled members of all of the arch structures, including the stanchions, the spacers, and the peak members. The equipment also includes the canopy package with supplemental pieces for the bow and stern of the boat. After a lifeboat has been launched, the arch structures are assembled and applied to the sockets 12 in the manner described, and thereafter the canopy is unfolded and attached to the arch supports to provide the completed cover.

In instances Where the boat is made of material like Fiberglas reinforced resin, the sockets shown in FIG- URES 4 and 5 may not be applicable. In such instances the sockets can be modified as shown in FIGURES 11 and 12. In this instance the socket assembly 51 for a Fiberglas boat consists of an angle 52, corresponding to angle 17 of FIGURE 4. This angle is seated against the gunwale 53 and the adjacent portion of the inner hull 54. Clamping bolts 55 extend through both the inner and outer hulls 54 and 56 and are provided with inner tubular spaces 57. A backing bar 58 extends over the outer hull and has holes to receive the bolts 55. With this arrangement the socket attachment provides adequate strength without distortion or crushing of the gunwale or adjacent portions of the inner and outer hulls.

FIGURES 13 and 14 show another form of socket which is advantageous for many installations, such as boats made of Fiberglas reinforced resin. The mounting angle '61 in this instance is attached in the same manner as in FIGURE 12, that is, by the bolt-s 63 and 64 and the bar 65. The socket sleeve 66 receives and is attached to the lower end of the stanchion member 26 in the same manner as previously described. However, the attachment of sleeve 66 with angle 61 is articulated and employs a flat lug or fin 67 which is secured to the sleeve and which is disposed between the spaced fins or lugs 68 that are secured to angle 61. The ends of the fins 67 and 68 may be curved or rounded as indicated. A bolt 69 extends through the fins whereby the socket sleeve 66 may articulate through an angle of the order of about 60. When installed in the gunwale of a boat this articulation is about an axis extending substantially parallel to the mounting angle and the adjacent portion of the gunwale.

The socket of FIGURES 13 and 14 has the advantage that the socket sleeve may assume various angles relative to the angle 61. These sockets compensate for dilferent side slopes of various boats and for different side slopes at the various positions where the sockets are located.

It will be evident that my lifeboat cover has a number of advantageous features. The members of the arch structure are all duplicates, with the exception that the spacers vary somewhat in length. These members can be quickly assembled and engaged with the sockets. When assembled, the arch structures are relatively strong and capable of resisting relatively heavy impact forces applied in any direction. Because of the character of the individual members making up the arch structures, these members are each relatively small in dimensions, and they can be packaged in a relatively small space. The strength of the assembled arch structures is such that no supplemental bracing is required. In general, the invention is adaptable to a wide variety of types and sizes of lifeboats, without making any structural changes other than to select the proper position for the sockets.

I claim:

1. Protective lifeboat equipment comprising a plurality of pairs of sockets adapted to be attached to the gunw-ales of the boat in positions near the bow and stern of the boat and near the middle thereof, the axis of each of said sockets being inclined outwardly with respect to the longitudinal center plane of the boat, and arch structures removably seated in said sockets, each structure engaging a pair of sockets on directly opposite sides of the boat, each arch structure comprising a pair of tubular side stanchion members having their lower ends seated within corresponding sockets, said lower end of each stanchion being provided with slots on opposite sides of the same, lock pin means extending through the socket and through said slots, for locking the stanchion within the socket in any of various positions about its longitudinal axis, the upper portion of each stanchion being bent to an angle of substantially 90, a tubular peak member bent to an included angle of about 166, a pair of tubular spacer members, each spacer member having one end thereof interfitting the adjacent end of the corresponding stanchion member and having its other end interfitting the corresponding end portion of the peak member, and removable detent pins serving to lock each spacer member to its corresponding stanchion and to the corresponding peak member, all of said peak members being duplicates.

2. A canopy support suitable for lifeboats having a 20 the boat, the support comprising a plurality of arch structures each comprising a pair of side stanchion members having lower ends adapted to be removably seated in a pair of the sockets, the upper portions of the stanchion members being bent to an angle of about pin and slot means on said stanchion members and said sockets for locking the stanchion members within the sockets in any one of several positions obtained by turning the stanchion member about its longitudinal axis relative to and within the socket, a peak member forming the upper medial part of the arch structure, and a pair of spacer members having their ends adapted to be removably secured to the upper ends of the stanchion members and to end portions of the peak member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,705,966 4/1955 Magary 15 2,829,660 4/1958 Webster et a1. 1356 3,354,892 11/1967 Freider 135-6 KENNETH DOWNEY, Primary Examiner. 

